Railway signaling system



Oct; 31, 1939.

l H. s. YOUNG 2,178294l RAILWAY S IGNALING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 3l, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l M36 i 17 lf2 y Flagmcm Canaczm 4 L5 MRZ I E52 y 03] LIU 5u E 'V1.3

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.5J-Z5' R F v lNvENToR C, E I I9 Henry Yamada; 251@ Y. BY. l

Oct. 3l, 1939. l H. s. YOUNG 2,178,294`

` RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 31, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lio" Io/L Z-Tf /21 E? A l ,I (552 55 34 Tczz .C v 5 FMgma/z Co/zzlacz f2 9 v-zw INVENTOR HIS A'rv'roRNEY Patented oci. 31, 1939.

2,178,294 v i nAmwAY SIGNALING sYs'raM Henry S. Young, 'Wilkinsburg Pa., assi'gnor to The Union -Switch i Signal Company,'Swiss vale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Applicaacn ncccmbcr '31, 193s, sci-iai Nc.; 248,689

'zclaims.' (01246-130) My invention relates to railway signaling 'sysy tems, and has foi' an object the provision of novel and improved means for indicating a defective condition existing within such signaling systems.

Apparatus embodying my invention is particularly well adapted for indicating that one or more signal lamp laments of a plurality of signal lamp filaments is burned out orv failed. Apparatus embodying my invention further provides means whereby the failure of any one of va plurality of signal llamp laments effects the display ofthe 'indication relating to such defective conditionsv until such` time as the defective signal lamp filament is replaced with an intact illament, and when this is done, the-indication is then controlled either automatically or manually to display an indication relating to the normalcondition of thesystem.

I shall describe threef'orms of apparatus em-' bodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.v

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of vone form ofapparatus em- `bodyirzg my invention when applied to a railway signaling system of the type employed at a railway-highway intersection for warning highway trailic lof approaching trains. Figs. 2 and 3 are 'diagrammatic'views showing modied forms of the'apnaratus shown in Fig. 1, each also embody- 30,- ing my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar 1 parts in each of the several views.

Referring to Fig; 1, the reference charactersv I- and Ia designate the track rails of a stretch of -,railway track over which trains vmovevin both directions, and which is intersected at grade by a highway-H. Located at such' intersection is a plurality of vsignals adapted to be controlled by trains approaching the intersection forv warning 40- highway usersof the approaching :traina .These signals, which are designated ,bythe reference characters S plus suitably distinguishing suilixes,

may-ftake any one of the well-known forms o! signaling devices provided with'signal lamps'having filaments, and as shown each signals comprises a pair of signal lamps, designated bythe reference characters L plus suitably distinguishing sufilxes, capablewhen energized to Vdisplay a red\ indication. The lamps L of each signal s areadapted to be alternately flashed, in acccrdance with the usual practice, at'a rate of substantially thirty times per minute in response to an approaching train, to simulate the appearance of a horizontally swinging red lantern. As shown,

preferably-at least two signals SI and S2 are provided at the intersection, and are located on opposite sides of the track for warning highway traffic approaching the intersection in either vdirection, of the approach of the train.A

For the sake of simplicity andclearnessin il- 5 lustrating the circuits shown in Fig. 1 :and hereinafter referred Ato .as controlling each lamp L 'of the signals S, the lamps L areindicated in Fig.l

1 as being located at the intersectionon the'signais SI and S2, but'the lamp lament for each 10' lamp is shown disposedv in the control circuits in more advantageous positions from the viewpoint of tracing the circuits.- Q

The reference character FN designates a flasher A relay, by means of which the lamps L of signals S 15 vare adapted to be alternately iiashed. The flasher relay may take diierent forms, but a` preferred i'orm is that disclosed in United States application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 156,549, led July30, 1937 by Benjamin Mishelvichfor Elec- 20' trical relays. Relay FN comprisesin its essential elements two windings ln and 4r, and a pivoted armature 5 operatively connectedwith insulated contact members 6, 'I and 8. Armature 5 is biased .-vto anormal position, that is,theposition shown 25- in Fig. 1, wherein'contact members 6, 1 and 8 eng'agevnormal contacts 9, VIll and I I, respectively,

When armature 5 is rotated in a mannendescribed hereinafter, in a clockwise direction to its reverse position, the contact members 6, 'l 30- and 8 engage'reverse contacts I2, I3 and I4, re-

spectively. Contact member 6 when in engagement with normal contact 9, shunts winding 4u and whenin engagement with reverse .contact I2 shunts winding 4r. Thus,v with armature 5 3,5 in'its'normal position, when an energizing electromotive force is applied across the windings In and Ir,windi`ng 4r is energized to attract armature 5 to lrotate the'armature in a `clockwise'direction so that normal contacts 6 9, 'I-III and 40v4 `8-\II are opened. and reverse contacts 6-I2,

'I1-I3 and B-Il are closed, This movement of amature I'removes the shunt on winding ln and closes the shunt on winding 4r so that wind-l ing'jr is deenergized, and winding ln is ener- 45E gized to attract armature Sinto its normal position, thereby opening the reverse contacts, and closingthe normal contacts; This cycle oi operation is periodically repeated 'as long as the circuit for relay FN is closed, the parts being so 50 proportioned 1 that an operating cycle is completed substantially every two secondsorY thirty s times per minute. As will appear more clearly hereinafter, the reverse contacts 1-I3 and 8--I4,-

. cabin.

2 relay FN serve to control the energizing circuits for lamps L of signals S, whereby the lamps L for each signal S are flashed alternately.

In order to permit trains approachin the intersection to control the operation of gnals the track rails I and la are divided by means of the usual insulated rail joints 2 into track sections D-E and E-F which extend in opposite directions from the intersection. Sections D-E and E--Fare provided with track circuits comprising in each instance a suitable source oi.' current, such as track battery track rails at one end of the section, and one winding WI or W2 of an interlocking relay XR., connected across the track rails at the other end of the section. It is to be understood, of course, that while my invention as shown is applied to a signaling system governed by trafc controlled means, the scope of my invention is in no wayv limited to the specic control means shown but may be applied as well to signaling systems governed by manually operable control means.

In order to indicate a. `defection condition existing within the signals S, I provide an indicator, designated by the referencel character K and herein shown as an electric lamp. dicator K may be positioned wherever desired, such as, for example, along the tracks l and la so as to be visible to a maintainer riding the trains operating thereover, or in a maintainers The reference character KR designates an lndication relay for controlling the indicator K.

The relay KR. is provided with a pick-up circuit governed by a manually operable push-button contact |5--I6, and which circuit passes from one terminal B of a suitable source of current, such as a battery not shown, through push-button contact IE-IG and the Winding offrelay KR to the other terminal C of the source of current, and with a first stick circuit which may be traced from terminal B through front contacts I1 and I8 of relay XR., front contact i9 of relay KR and the winding of relay KR to terminal C.

' Preferably, the relay KR is provided with slightly slow releasing characteristics, which may be effected as shown by connecting a shunt resistoizo across the terminals of its operating 'period oi.' relay FN, that is to say,

` the winding of-relayKR to terminal C.'

- When no trains are operating upon the control stretch of track intermediate the points D and F, the apparatus is in its normal condition as shown in Fig. 1. In this normal condition, windings Wl and W2 of relay XR are energized, relay KRis held energized over its previously traced'rst stick circuit, and the relays FN, LORI and LOR2 are deenergized.v

In describing the operation of the apparatus of Fig; 1, Ishall rst assume that each lamp L of signals S flashes properly during the operating the lamp filament for each lamp L of signals S is intact and remains intact as long' as a intersection. Under the above condition, when a train enters section D.E or E-F in approaching the intersection, the windingrwl or W2 of 3, connected across the The in-v .LI, and normal contact 8-II of relay of signal SI.

train approaches the proaching the intersection, the releasing oi winding WL of relay XR. closes back contacts 23 and 24, and opens front contact I1. The closing of back contact 23 of winding Wl completes a circuit which may be traced from -terminal B through back contact 2,3 of winding Wl, and windings 4u and 4r of relay FN to terminal C. with the result that relay manner described hereinbefore. The closing of back contact 24 of winding WI completes an energizing circuit for the lamps L of signals S, so

that the operation of relay FN is effective to alternately iiash the lamps of each signal S. That is to say, when back contact 2,4 of winding WIv is closed, and when the armature 5 of relay FN is operated to its normal position, the nor# mal contacts'l-I and 8-I I provide shunt paths around la'mps L2 and L3 of signals Sl and S2, respectively, whereby those lamps are shunted and are thus deenergized, the lamps LI and L4 of signals Si and S2, respectively being energized to an illuminating condition over'a circuit passing from terminal B, through back contact 24 of winding WI, then throughl twobranch paths to terminal C, one path of ,which includes the winding of relay LORI, the filament of lamp FN; the other path of which includes the winding of relay contact l-lil oi relay FN. When the armature of relay FN is operated to its reverse position, the'opening of normal contacts 'i-lu and 8-II removes the shunt upon lamps L2 and L3 where- -by those lamps are energized to an illuminating condition, and the closing of reverse contacts 1--I3 and 8-l4 establishes a shunt upon lamps LIV and L4 'whereby those lamps are deenergized and become dark, as can readily be understood from an inspection of the drawing. Relays LORI in the ,energizing Y of signals SI, and

and LOR2, being interposed circuits for lamps Li and L2 lamps L3 and L4 of signals S2, respectively, are

FN operates in the l LOR2, the ilament of lamp L4 and normal 4 by alternately shunting one Ior the other of the n signal lamps of such signals, the relays LORi and LORZ remain energized and picked up during the operation of contact members 1 'and 8 of relay FN from their one position to the other. For example, during the interval contact member 8 of relay FN is operating from its normal (or right-hand) position to its reverse (or left-hand) position, relayxLORI is then energized in series with the lanp laments of -both lamps LI and L2 The filament of lamp L2 will at this time be in its cold" condition `wherein its resistance' is relatively-.small with respectto the resistance ot the filament of lamp Ll (whichvwlll be in its hot" or illuminating condition) so that the energization of, relay LORI at this 4time will be but slightly reduced and will still remain above its release value. Relay LOR2 will similarly be held energized and picked up during the operation of contact member 1 of relay FN from its one position to the other. Relays LORI and LOR2 are thus maintained picked up during the operation'A of signals Si and S2, so that each relay closes its front contactl or 22 interposed 75 inthe second stick circuit `'for relay KR now being open at front contact Il o! winding WI. It should be'poixited out that the slow re leasing feature of relay KR is eil'ective to mainnasca to maintain that relayenergized during the operation oi'fsignals S, the iirst stick circuitfor relay KR tain its front contact Il closed during the '1n-a terval between the opening ofthe iirst and the ing WI. picks up. the operation ot S 'and closing oi' the second stick circuit for that relay'. When the train vacates section D-E and windrelay FN is terminated, so that` relays L OR are released to open'the second stick circuit for relay KR, which is now retained energized. over-rits ilrst stick circuit governed by theA interlocking relay XR. It is vapparent that since relay KR is maintained energized during the operatin8 period of relay FN, the indicator K is controlled to display its normal indication both duringthe operating period of the signals S, and alter the trainvacates the control section D--E.

I shall now assume that the lamp filament of one or more lamps L of signals Stailed 'or burned out during the just described operating period of relay FN. Under this latter condition of the apparatus, the lamp L having the tailed filament will prevent the energization of its associated LOR relay during the period such lamp is-controlled to its lighted condition. For example, assume that the lament of lamp Ll of signal SI4 fails during the operating period of relay FN, In `'this event. relay LORI will be energized and picked upduring the interval lamp L2 is illuminated by virtue of the shunt path established by contact IQ of relay FN around lamp LI. vWhen, howevenrelay -path around the failed lament of lamp Ll, is then removed so that thejcircuit for relay LORI is open at that pointv and relay 'LORI becomes deenergizedandreleases.' Relay LORI in releasing opens its front contact 2| interposed in the second stick circuit for relay KR, whereuponthe latter relay in turn releases to control indicator K to` its indlcatlonrelating to a defective lcondition I existing within signals'Sl and S2. The release of relayKR also opens its'front contact I9 vwhich is common to both the iirst and second stick circuits l .4 for relay KR. Since front contact i9 of relay KR .is open, the alternate picking up and releasing of relay LORl in response to its energization during the lighted period of the other lamp L2 ofA signal' SI,- is ineffective to control relay mt Hence,

since relay KR is released,l when the train vacates section D-E the ilrst stick circuit for that relay is open at front contact I9 of relay KR, with the result thatrelay KR remains released and indicator K continues to display its defectivef indication. It isreadily apparent, therefore, that re- -lay KR is maintained energized during the oper- `ating period of relay FN.. and is conditioned for energization by therst stick circuit governed by the train controlled-means after the operating period of relay FN, only inthe event that each lamp L of signal-S iiashed properlyv in response l,to the operation of -relay FN.' Furthermore, relay KR once released remains released to control in'- dicator 'K to register its defective indication' until such time as the defective lamp is replaced by a-n intact 1amp,.and the push-button contact I5-'I6 is'actuated byzthe maintainer to complete the pick-upcircuit for relay KR, whereupon relay' KR'picks. up to restore the apparatus of-Fig. 1 to z Y' Y itsnormnlwcondition.

An alternatearrangemetltor the apparatus 'of Fig. 1,.whereln'back contacts 26 and 21o! relays alternately energized and Fig. lby a dash line. In this alternative arrangement of Fig. l. the third-stick circuit including back contacts 26 and!! of relays LQRI and LOR2 serve tovretain relay KR energized during the period' that relay FN'does not operate, and `thus the first stick circuit for relay KR, which includes front contacts I1 and I8 of relay XR, maybe dispensed with. The operation of the apparatus of the alternative arrangement of Fig. `1 is substan- .LOItly and( LOR2. respectively, are"connected in4 a third stick circuit for relay KR, is indicated in f tially similar to the operation of the apparatus of L4' and L2 arenow energized in multiple over a circuitwhich may be traced from terminal B through back contact 2l or 36 of relay'XR the illament of lamp L4 in multiple-with the filament of lamp L2, the winding of relay LQR2 Vand hormal contact I-I.0 of relay FNto terminal C. -The circuit for lamps Ll and L3 now passesfrom .terminal B through back contact 24 or 36 of relay XR, reverse contact 'l--I3 of relayF'N, the winding of lrelay LORI and the filament of lamp L|` in multiple with the filament of la'rnp L3, to terminal C. The -relays LOR now alternately contnol a second stckcircuit for relay/ KR, lwhich circuit nov;r passes from terminal B through front contact 2in! relayLORl -or front contact 22 of relay LORZ, front contact `lil oi. relay KR and the winding of relay uKR to terminal C. v.'iince the pairs,

ofsignal lamps are alternately flashed by nieans of the vrelayfFN, the relays LORI and LOR2 aregg 1 alternately complete the' second stick circuit vforrelay KR during the operating period of-relay FN; Eath relay LORI or vLOR2 is proportioned so. that it will be energized and picked up only if both lamps oi its associated pair of lamps are energized,.but that when only` one lamp of the associated pair of lamps is Vener-,- gized (the other lamp of the pair having a -failedf illamentl the energy level created in relay LORI or LORI is ins'uillcient to pick up that LORrelay and thereby-complete for its alternatlngperiods the stick circuit for relay KR. The-failure of one. LOR relay to pick up results in relay KR releasing during that period. to open its front contact I9 and .thereby remove the other LOR relay. -and thev interlocking relay XR. after the operating periodof relayFNis terminated, from contolo the indi cation relay KR and theindicatorK. 'I'he indi- 'cator`K now 'displays its defective indication,

and will continue to do so until the pick-up circuit` for relay KR is completed at push-button conmet |s|s. I i further modication of Fig. l is shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3.relay- KR-jis normally energized in.v

with thelamplament or e'achlamp `L Yoi' -the signals S, over a" circuit passing from terminal .'B through the ilaxnent oflalnp Ll the filament of lamp Ll, thewindi'ng of relay KR, ifront contact 28 oi' a relay tobe 'referred .tolaten the iilavment o( lampLland' the filament of lamp L2 to terminal C. The winding of relay KR is prefery ably sc proportioned that, in response'to the cur rent flowing in. the.` just traced circuit. relay KR will be energized and picked up', but the illaments ofthe lamps L will not beenergized sumciently to l.co

j be in their illuminating condition. The lprevi-A 7s ously mentioned relay TCR servesasa repeater relay for Winding Wi or W2 of relay XR, being normally energized over a circuit passing from terminal B through front contacts 29 and 38 of relay m, and the Winding of relayTCR to terminal C, and has back contactsone interposed in the energizing circuit for each lamp L, as may readily be understood from an inspection of the drawings, so that relay TCR when released completes the energizing circuit'forv the lamps L, whereby the operation of relay FN effects the alternate flashing of the lampsL of signals S. Relay TCR also has airont contact 28 interposed Y in the previously traced circuit for relay KR so tact 3i or 32 of relay XR., the winding of relayV KR and back contact 38 of relay TCR to terminal C. If the lamps L of signals S dash properly during the operating period of relay FN, that is to say, if the lamp filament for each lamp L remains intact, then when the train vacates the control section D--E or E-F to terminate the operation of relay FN and to pick up the relay TCR, relay KR is then retained energized over Iits previously traced circuit including the lamp filament for each lamp of the signals S. If, however, a lamp filament burns out or fails during the operating period of relay FN, then relay KR can no longer be energized over the circuit including that lamp ilament, so that after the train vacates section D-E or E-f-F and reley TCR picks up, relay m releases to control'lndicator K to its vdefective indication. In the event that a lamp filament fails so that indicator K registers its defective indication, this indication is displayed until such time as the failed lamp has been replaced with an intact lamp, and when that happens, relay IG. is then automatically reenergized over its circuit including each lamp lament, to pick up and control indicator K to its normal indication.

A second indicator Kl is also shown in Fig. 3, and is controlled jointly by relay KR and by relay XR. The energizing circuit for indicator KI passesY from terminal B through back contact 31 of yrelay KR, the iiiament -of indicator Kl, and front contacts 33 and 34 of r'elay XR, to terminal C. In the event that relay KR is released due to a failed lamp lament, indicator KI will display-its defective indicationat all times except when winding Wi or winding W2' of relay XR is released by a. train approaching the intersection. The defective indication of Kl` is then visible to a trainman or maintainer riding on the train operating over the control section of track when the train recedes from the j intersection, or to a maintainer in his cabin at all times except when the' train approaches the intersection.

Although I have herein shown and described atrasos n a second condition of that relay for maintaining said indication relay energized, an indicator for indicating the integrity of said filament, and an energizing circuit for said indicator governed by said indication relay.

2.' In combination, a section of railway track intersected by a highway and provided with a track circuit including a track relay, a highway crossing signal located at said intersection and provided with a lamp iilament, aiightout relay,

" circuit meansv governed by said track relay un'- der one condition of that relay and including the winding of said lightout relay for energizing said lamp filament, a normally energized indication relay, a first stick circuit governed by said lightout relay and being eiective under said one condition of said track relay to maintain said indication relay energized provided that said lament is intact, a second stick cirsuit governed by said track relay and being eiectlve under a second condition of that relay for maintaining said indication relay energized,Y and an indicator governed by said indication relay for lindicating the integrity of said lamp iiiament.

3.- In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a track relay, a signal provided with a lamp filament,

a lightout relay, circuit means governed by said track relay and including the Winding o said lightout relay for energizingl said signal when said section is occupied, a normally energized indication relay, a rst stick circuit for` said inlof said lamp filament.

4. In combination, a section of railway track ,provided with a track circuit including a track relay, a plurality of signals each provided with a lamp iilament, a lightout relay for each signal, an energizing circuit for eash signal governed by said track relay and including the winding of the associated lightout relay'in series with the Vfilament of that signal, an indication relay normally energized over aV rst stick circuit governed by .said track relay and being effective to maintain said indication relay energized when said signals are deenergized, a second stick circuit for said indication relay serially including a front contact of eachV of said lightout relays and being effective to maintain said indication relay energized when said signals are energized only in the `event that each said lamp iilament is intact, and an indicator governed by said indication relay for indicating the integrity of said lamp iilamcnts.

.Eli

5. In combination, a setion oi' railway track intersected by a highway and provided with a track circuit including a track relay, a highway crossing signal located at said intersection and provided with a lamp filament, an indication relay, a pick-up circuit responsive to said lamp nl ament and governed by, said track relay to energize said indication relay when said section is unoccupied provided that said lament is intact, a stick circuit for said indication relay governed by said track relay i'or maintaining said indication relay energized when saidA section is occupied, and an indicator governed by said indication relay for indicating the integrity of said lament. 6. In combination; a section Aof railway track intersected by a highway and provided with a track circuit including a track relay. a highway crossing signal located at said intersection and provided with va signal lamp iilament, an indication relay, a pick-up circuit4 for-said indication relay serially including said lamp ilament and being governed by said 'track relay to' energize .said indication relay when said track section is unoccupied, a stick circuit for said indication relay governed by said track relay to maintain said indication relay energized when said track stretch extending fromsaid highway in the direction of approaching trafiic and including a track relay, two highway crossing signals located at said intersection, each said signal being provided with two Signal lamps and each lamp having a. lament, a iirst lightout relay connected in series with one lamp of each of said signals, said one lamps being connected in multiple with each other and said first lightout relay being so proportioned as to be energized to its holdup value only when both said one lamps arev energized and their iilaments are intact, a second lightout relay connected in'series with the other lamp of each of said signals, said other lamps being connected in multiple with each other and said second lightout relay being so proportioned as to be energized to itshold-up value only when both said other lamps are energized and their filaments are intact, a ilashenrelay, circuit means governed by s aid track relay for energizing said asher relay when said section is occupied, circuit means governed by said track relay and'said flasher relay for-causing said one and said other lamps to become alternately energized and deenergized when said section is occupied, an indication relay, a vstick circuit for said indication relay completed over a front contact of said track relay for normally holding said indication relay energized, another stick circuit for said indication relay closed alternately at a front contact of said iirst or said second lightout relay according as said one or said other lamps are energized and being eiective to hold said indication relay energized when'said section is occupled provided that the filament for each of said signal lamps is intact, and an indicator governed by said indication relay for indicating the integrity oi the filaments oi said signal lamps.

HENRY SA. YOUNG. 

